It is a non-issue, yet I am amazed how many people make an "issue" out of fist tightening. I've seen many "recipes" including the ubiquitious "tighten just before hitting" etc.

Ubiquitious-appearing to be everywhere at once. If it is everywhere perhaps the advice has some merit.

Sorry, but I can't see why you don't just keep a fist that is tight enough to punch, yet keeps your wrist loose for a whip-like uraken.

You have to change the tension in the muscles to go from a punch to a backfist-particularily if you backfist with the wrist bent to strike only with the knuckles.

As I said, this isn't theory. I've been doing it for 28 years and it's the first thing I show beginners.

It takes years of practice to eliminate all the wasted tension in your techniques-resulting in minimal effort and maximum effect. I was passing on advise that I have received over the years from my instructors. Free advise is usually worth what you pay for it. However, if you are a beginning student it might be a good starting point depending on if you think an Okinawan karate instructor might know what he is talking about (he has more than 28 years of teaching experience) There is more than one path up the mountain.

My point exactly. Telling a beginner to only tighten the muscles that need to be tight and loosen those that need to be loose-while exactly what they need to do-probably won't attain their and our desired result. Meet you at the mountain top.

I might make the point Duane that I show beginners how to make a fist at the very first lesson and they usually don't take long to get it. After a few months they more or less have the "tight fist, loose wrist" combination. Of course it takes years to "perfect" but I certainly don't leave them to pursue a goal without guidance.

Suffice it to say that I have always been surprised by debates about tensing the fist and how it slows you down. As a karateka and internal artist I've never experienced this. It is a question of technique that I can easily demonstrate in person. If I get around to it I'll do a video (which is easy with today's technology and my predilection for making them - I'm a late but enthusiastic convert to video editing and computers generally!).

A) your in a fight, you try to do your "tense before impact" thing, oops you were a millisecond too late, have fun with a broken wrist.

B) Theres other things to focus on than your fists. You dont need anything extra on your mind in a confrontation

with the muscle contradiction thing, tensing your fist has no effect on how fast you can move your arm about. The forearm muscles for the most part just tense the fist, and one of them basiclly assists your bicep. That muscle isnt used for your grip, so therefore wont pull your arm towards your bicep while your triceps try to extend it.

Its dumb to keep your hands loose, if you cop a punch and your fingers arent tight your screwed.